Gent's Style Tips

Have you ever made up your own fashion rule that you religiously abide by? It might have been something that you dreamt up years ago that you’ve been sticking to ever since. Perhaps some nugget of wisdom that was passed down by your mum or an old friend or work colleague. If there’s one thing about fashion it’s there’s lots of rules. Some change over time, some don’t. Some we’ve made up ourselves and it’s these rules that could be holding you back.

Want to mix prints like a pro but scared of looking like a clown? You’re not alone. For the uninitiated, mixing prints can be a tricky thing to do. So much so that most avoid it altogether. If you get it wrong and you feel awkward in it then heads will turn for all the wrong reasons. If you’re still starting out with prints then check out my last post how to really work printsfirst. If you’re wanting to up your game and get ready to give mixing prints a whirl then keep reading for all the tips to make sure you’re a print-mixing-maestro!

Often when I mention the word ‘fashion’ people get very disturbed by it. But none more so than men. You see, despite there being rapid growth in menswear over the last few years, there’s still a stigma attached to being male and overly interested in clothes.

If you’re a guy and you take an interest in your personal style you run the risk of being the butt of the jokes amongst your peers. So instead, you end up looking nondescript, happy to be average, like a poster boy for a Grattan catalogue.

Ever wondered how some people achieve their effortless style? Where they look like they’ve just rolled out of bed in the morning, perfectly preened and put together. They always seem to get it right no matter what the occasion, but look like they didn’t try at the same time. You may think it’s down to a team of stylists and make up artists but that’s not always the case. You can find examples of women and men in the celeb world who appear to have an innate ability to always get it right, in addition to the stylish individuals that are normal, everyday people. So I thought for this post I’d share some of their secrets in a playful take on Stephen Covey’s famous book.

Have you ever wondered how your style can appear ‘sexy’ to the opposite sex? We know what it looks like for women, think Tom Ford. But is there a male version? A look that men can adopt that would make women swoon. In the dating game, she’ll form an opinion on you before you’ve even opened your mouth. What you’re wearing could be the difference between her giving you the cold shoulder or thinking you’re her Ryan Gosling.

When everyone’s trying to stand out from the crowd, is the answer to try and blend in? At least that’s the theory behind the normcore trend that’s been bubbling away in New York City. Adopting plain brand clothes that you’d typically associate with dads and mums. The idea is to ’embrace sameness’ as a way of being ‘cool’. Recognising that you’re just 1 in 7 billion rather than trying to be different to everyone else. One way this ideology manifests itself is through fashion, making art kids and designers undistinguishable from middle-aged, ‘middle America’ tourists.